“I’d rather hold you.”
She smiles at that, leans into me again, and I wrap my arms around her like they were made for it.
“I thought you wouldn’t want anything to do with me,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.
“Never.” I close my eyes. “A part of me always hoped you’d come back. Even when I hated you for leaving.”
“I didn’t want to go,” she says. “But we both know the world didn’t give us much of a choice back then.”
She pulls back again, brushing her hair from her face. “Things are different now.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “But I’m still me. And you’re still you. And maybe that’s enough.”
She searches my eyes like she’s trying to believe me.
“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” I add. “We can take this one day, one step at a time.”
She bites her lip. “I don’t know if I’m ready for all of it.”
“You don’t have to be. I’ll wait. As long as it takes.”
She pauses. Then she reaches for my hand and threads her fingers through mine. I bring her hand to my lips, kissing the back of it gently. I try to convey everything I’m feeling. My relief. My hope. My love. Because I still love her. Always have.
Before I can say more, the elevator dings again.
I freeze. So does she.
Footsteps echo across the floor, heavy and measured. Then two shadows spill across the threshold.
Johnny. And Nik. Together.
Lina stiffens beside me, hand still in mine. Sean rises slowly from the couch, eyes narrowing. Even he looks confused, and that’s saying something.
Johnny glances around the room, his expression unreadable. Nik is stone-faced as usual, but his eyes are locked on one thing only.
Her.
Lina draws in a sharp breath. Her fingers tighten around mine for half a second before she lets go and steps forward.
“Nik,” she says, voice soft and wary.
His jaw twitches, but he says nothing. Just stares at her like she’s a ghost. Or a prayer.
“Since when are you two—” Sean begins, but Johnny cuts him off with a sharp look.
“It’s a long story,” Johnny mutters.
“Try us,” Sean replies, folding his arms.
“We’re working together,” Nik says simply.
Everyone blinks.
Sean actually laughs. “Right. Because that’s normal.”
“We have a common goal,” Johnny adds, like that explains everything.
It kind of does. But it still doesn’t make it less bizarre seeing them standing side-by-side like some unholy alliance of rage and control.
